Haunting You
by LanaRae
Summary: She does it on her own, she doesn't need help from anybody, but when Carl finds her half starved walking through the woods, her life is turned around. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

Somebody once told me that if you lose your faith in others your humanity goes with it!

Depending on others was human nature.

So if all of this stands true; all of the things I've been told, I must be just as dead as the walkers. I started in a group, most of us do, a group of our loved ones; neighbors; community. Until they begin dying or turning into one of them, then you become a group of the most fit; the fighters. You don't even need to be dying from walkers then, they begin picking each other off; and that, at the lowest point, when you run off on your own, it when you loose your humanity.

That was a year ago, and not much has changed since the dead started walking, the day was filled with running from the dead and the living.

I remember when my biggest problem was how I was going to skip my 6 o'clock class because I was to hung over to move, or if I was going home from spring break or to a week long party.

Now it's what are you going to eat next? Who are you going to kill next?

"HEY!"

You start hearing voices.

" HEY GIRL!"

Reality and imagination start mixing, running is all you know.

"HEY!"

Until it's right in front of you.

"You need to leave," a male voice interrupted my inner monolog, the same story that runs over and over in my head, like I was going to get a chance to write it all down in a history book.

"I need you to leave," it stated again.

Finally it snapped back, the real world.

"Do you own this part of the grass I'm standing on?" I quickly turned to view the interrupter.

"As far as the eye can see is ours," a teenage boy in a large brimmed hat was standing behind a gate with a prison in the back of him, one I hadn't notice while wondering in my own world.

"Look, I'm just walking through," I informed the boy while adjusted to our height difference, the moan of walkers could be heard in the middle section of the gate of where the boy was.

"You'll die!" He said again.

"I'll be fine kid, I've been doing this for a long time," I half way smiled at his ignorance of the gun he held out at me, like I couldn't knock it out of his hands, even if he was behind the safety of the gate.

"What's your name?" he questioned looking me up and down, I noticed his eyes on my weapons, not on a particular part of me.

"You don't want to know kid," I adjusted the weight of my backpack.

"My name is Carl," he informed me.

"I didn't want to know that," I turned and began walking away.

"When is the last time you've had something to eat?" the boy questioned following me down the side of the gate, I noted he didn't make noise as he ran, he had been doing this a long time.

"I'm fine kid," I kept on walking.

"We have food!" he informed me again.

"Look, Carl, was it? With the world being like it is, you can't go around inviting people in and offering them food. Didn't you just tell me I needed to leave" I stopped walking but stayed turned around.

"You're really skinny, are you dying?" he continued asking me questions.

Probably, is the first thought that ran through my mind.

"I'm fine," I snapped at the boy.

"CARL!" A voice yelled up from by the entrance of the prison. "Who are you talking to?"

The walkers got riled up.

"They need to stop yelling I'm the one on the outside," I said more to myself than the boy,

Quickly more people started coming out of the prison causing noise, disturbing the walkers; soon they began walking out of the woods towards me, without thought I reached back and grabbed the sword that hung out of my backpack and started swinging. Slicing heads after heads never mattered to me anymore, I was numb to killing, numb to the monster in me.

"There are too many!" another voice yelled to me, as guns started firing taking down some of the walkers around me, only to attract more.

"Climb doll, climb!" A deep southern voice yelled to me! "CLIMB!" all of the people began yelling at I backed against the wall.

"SERIOUSLY CLIMB!" the southern voice rang again.

I didn't want to, everything in me told me not too, this would be a place to end.

"Please!" was the last plead of the southerner before I began climbing; almost to quickly for my own good, I felt all of my muscles strain at being pulled in a different direction then they were used to just running and walking. My large flower printed boots, that I had once bought for looks, barley fit in the links of the fence to lift myself another step.

"Come on doll, keep coming," he continued, a face I still hadn't brought myself to look at, I heard myself grunt almost shocking myself as the fence tore at my exposed skin on my hands and stomach as I lifted my arms up to yank myself higher. My destroyed jeans ripping even more.

Finally my breath returned to me as blood began dripping on my face when they made contact with the barb wire on the top of the fence.

"Come on down now, you're okay!" a females voice yelled to me as I straddled the top, one leg on each side, the wire sticking into my back and stomach.

"I'm okay right here!" I spoke down to them, "I don't do groups, they will move on soon and I'll be gone,"

All of the group below continued to stare up at me.

"Really, go on about your business, I'm fine!" I refused to make eye contact with any of these people, you couldn't trust people anymore.

"We're not going to hurt you," Carl's voice rang up.

"I'm not coming down! I've seen a lot of shit out there, you either eat people, or rape people, or just use them as walker bait! Fuck that, when they leave I'm gone!"

"Suit yourself than darlin'" the deep voice spoke since I began climbing the fence. "Come on ya'll this bitch doesn't need help,"

One by one over the course of an hour the group left the fence side as I took my backpack off and began digging for a rope to tie myself to the top for however long it took the walkers to leave.

* * *

Other's POV!

"We can't leave her out there!" Carol spoke as she walked into cell block C, she was the last one to leave the fence where the blonde was perched.

"She doesn't want to come in, we can't make her!" Daryl argued with Carol, "We need to focus on getting more formula for ass kicker."

"She only doesn't want to come in because she doesn't trust us!" Carol yelled back at Daryl "She can't be very old,"

"She'll make a move, either she will come over and be with us, or she will go the other way, she can't stay up there forever," Rick spoke to the group.

"She's skinny, really skinny," Carl stated, "She was the first one that wasn't begging for help," he continued, "I want her to stay,"

"We don't even know her Carl," Rick argued with his son.

"Did you see how she fought those walkers, she's like..."

"Like Daryl," Beth interfered, " She moved like a cat, as quiet as could be,"

"We could use someone like her," Carol added.

"We don't know her," Rick silenced the group before walking away.

* * *

REG POV

I waved in and out of consciousness the whole day, every time I opened my eyes the sun was at a different point in the sky. The boy was right, I hadn't eaten anything in a long time. I was thankful I had thought to tie myself to the fence, otherwise I'd be dead at the bottom no matter which way I fell; when I finally gained back enough energy to open my eyes for good it was completely dark out.

"You bout' done?" the voice from earlier rang out as the walkers below began shaking the fence.

"I'm not coming down, not that way," I tried to get a good look at all of the walkers; never the other side of the fence, I knew I shouldn't look at them.

"You can't stay up there forever," a small growl came out with the statement, "Either you go that way and be bit, or you stay up there and die and become one anyway,"

"I'll be fine, I've been taking care of myself since this started," I tried to count the number of walkers, even though I kept loosing track at fifty.

"Suit yourself then," a shift of gravel from his side of the fence was heard. "A bowl of food is at the bottom if you change your mind, if you don't come down now, you're out for the night, what is your name anyways?"

"It doesn't matter," I snapped at the man.

"Okay it doesn't matter, don't come banging on the door after its shut, we shoot then ask questions." after that the sound of a heavy door sliding echoed through the valley in front of the prison and through the gate.

"Great!" I mumbled untying myself trying to think of a plan.

* * *

Other's POV

"She fell!" Carl's voice rang out through the prison, waking the group! The common room began filling. "She fell off the gate, I think she's dead,"

"Great, I told that bitch to die on the other side of the fence!" Daryl's gravely voice snapped following Carol and Rick out of the door towards where they had left the stubborn girl.

"She's not dead," Hershel was already outside staring out at where the girl was laying on the ground, her sword beside her, gripped tightly in her hand, both were covered in blood, along with spots on her shirt and running down her jeans, her hands where torn up from holding onto the barbed wire for so long.

But there was something else Daryl noticed, half of the walkers in the field were dead.

"I think she's passed out," Hershel continued.

"She went over, to the other side, look," Carl was the first one to say it out loud.

"Yes, I'd say that is what happened! There must have been to many of them and she climbed the fence again," Rick moved closer to the fence inspecting the walkers on the other side, "I don't think I could of done all of this in the day time," Rick looked back at the small girl's body, wondering how she could of managed that, knowing that moment they needed her on their side; no matter what was to face them, she was a fighter.

"Tie her up and inspect her for bites! Make sure she's not dead," Rick informed Maggie and Hershel. Grabbing Daryl's arm dragging him away with him not waiting for a reply from the others.

"Carl is right, we need her!" He informed the archer, " I don't think any of us could of done that much damage alone, at night, half staved none the less,"

"We don't know her, like you said, she could be bringing more trouble then she's worth, and besides you don't learn how to fight like that without a better reason than some walkers after you," Daryl didn't make eye contact with the man speaking to him, he continued staring out to the field that the girl had done all the damage in. She was small, young and thinner than a pole, sickly thin.

"We need to try Daryl, we need someone like her."

This wasn't the first time I woke up tied to a bed. First instinct is to raise your legs and get your head off the bed.

"We are not going to hurt you!" An older man with white hair popped in front of my vision. "We had to check you bites before we brought you in!"

"Untie me!" I screamed! Not caring what the walkers thought of it, I'd be able to get away from them and leave them to munch on these people.

"My name is Hershel I..."

"Why do you people keep telling me your names, they don't matter anymore don't you get it?! We are not who we were before!"

"Calm down sweetheart!" a female voice startled me, causing me to attempt to jump even higher; when my head shot back I heard a loud crack and everything went black.

* * *

Other's POV

"She's severely UN-norished, signs of fatigue, a sprained ankle and her shoulder is dislocated, other than that and a poor attitude she's fine." Hershel informed the group slowly making his way out of the cell, still adjusting to his crutches.

"She is a little negative isn't she," Beth agreed trying to make the group laugh, something she was usually trying to do.

"She's realistic," Daryl mumbled in the corner.

"How under nourished is she?" Carol asked, staring into the cell where the girl was passed out.

"I'd say if she doesn't eat in the next few days she's a goner," Hershel pondered also looking in on the young girl, "She can't be any older than 20, and she can't weigh more than 100 pounds," he almost felt bad for the girl, he hasn't seen a child in this state in a long time, "I put her shoulder back into place, her ankle has been that way for a long time, it just needs to rest, she's been running on it for a long time."

"Think she's going to be a problem?" Rick asked the two older members who had been in the cell with the girl.

"She's got blood under her nails, it's not walker blood," Hershel look glum when he informed the group, knowing it wouldn't take much for Rick to kick her out.

"You heard her!" Carol defended the girl, "It sounds like she has come across the worst kinds of people out there, she's young, blonde and gorgeous, even covered in ten pounds of dirt and blood." she paused to look the girl once over again, "She did what she had to do, she doesn't look like a killer to me,"

"We're all killers now," Daryl came over to really get a good look at the girl for the first time, how could she survived this long without getting a little dirty. "Me, you, even Beth and Carl, and that was in a group, she was on her own,"

* * *

REG POV

When I finally opened my eyes they blurred in and out trying to adjust to being inside, my wrists burned where the rope was tied around them and to the top of the bed frame behind me. I was definitely inside the prison, tied with the barred door closed.

"Great Lennon, get your ass tied and locked, you should of never stopped to talk to that fucking kid,"

"So the name is Lennon then?" a gruffly voice broke out, as I slinked my feet up under me to be sitting against the bed frame. I began twisting and turning my wrists in the rope until I felt my wrist slip out of the rope, warm liquid ran down my arms when I readjusted to get the other wrist out.

"It's rude to ease drop," I muttered, "Now untie me so I can leave!" I tried to keep my voice at a reasonable level.

"Here, eat this!" He put a bowl through the gate on the ground.

"How am I supposed to get that? I'm tied up!"

"that's your problem," he stated, a small smile almost coming to his face, " I'm just going to sit and watch,"

"Let me go so I can leave!"

"We can't let you go just yet, first we are going to feed you and then escort you to the gate, where you can have a chance with the walkers; or you can choose to stay, help out, pull your own weight."

"I'll take my chances," I snapped, "I'm not hungry"

"Your dying by the way, your starving to death," he adjusted the cross bow on his back, "It's to bad too, your a good little fighter, I've seen what you did to them walkers!"

"I couldn't take them all, that why I climbed back over the fence,"

"Well those are your choices, eat and live or die and eat," he turned away before talking again, "Name's Daryl, I'll be back to find our your choice, remember you don't have long, you're dying darlin'"

* * *

AN: I don't own any of the characters or the story itself just Lennon! We are going to start at season 3, somewhere around Hounded.

So Spoilers from then on out.

Let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

I am changing things a bit to fit Lennon into the story I know it's not true to the original story.

I don't own anything walking dead related, just Lennon

* * *

They weren't very smart, the people that took me in, they were talking about their days plans right out in the open, in front of everyone; how could they trust these many people?

"Ate yet girl?" Daryl walked up to the door of my cell, inspecting my full bowl. "There's a fine line between stubborn and an idiot. You're going to die," he yelled pressing up against the bars.

"I rather die then be stuck here in a group!" I yelled back, "Especially you bunch of assholes!" I yelled to the redneck.

"Eat bitch, you're going to die!" he shoved the key into the cell door and stormed in, I quickly jumped up to grab the man, my hands jotted out to grab his bow and arrow; which he grabbed my wrists even quicker and pushed me into the wall.

"I knew you were untied, you've been untied; you're going to eat!" he turned around locked the door with the hand that wasn't holding my wrists and threw the keys to the Carl boy. "Don't let us out until she eats!"

"I am not going to eat!" I screamed at the man, dying of poison would be more painful and postponed than just taking my chances with the walkers. I was more disappointed in myself that this man could hold me with one hand,than the fact that I had to turn around and climb the fence back to their side.

"You are! And you are going to like it!" He slammed me down onto the bed grabbing my already bloody hands and tying me down again. "There, now that we can talk about this rationally, why don't you want to eat?"

"I don't trust you people!" I yelled while bringing my legs up to kick him in the face, blood from his nose began splattering on my flower print Dr. martens.

"You want to play this damn game!" He growled through the blood running down his face all over both of us; while he grabbed my squirming legs trying to get another kick in. He quickly straddled me, our hip bones pressed against each other and brought his bow with an arrow loaded against my forehead. "I know you don't want to die, otherwise you would of stayed on the other side of the fence. We don't want to do anything fuckin' bad to you! We are trying to feed you!" his blue eyes burned into my green ones.

"Why?" I whispered, "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing," he answered without a thought, not removing his weight from my body.

"Everyone wants something, everyone!" I felt hot tears burning my face for the first time in a long while, I wasn't sure if they were tears of anger, or fear. "That's what this world is about now! What do you have that I want, what can you do that I can't, that's all it is anymore!"

"I want you to eat!" he pulled the arrow from the bow. "That's all I want! Please,"

That was twice I had heard please out of this man sitting on top of me; it didn't seem like something that easily came out of his mouth. He seemed sincere but most of them did, all of them did.

"The way I see it Lennon," he leaned in closer to my ear when he said my name, like he didn't want anyone else to hear him utter the worlds, like it was just between the two of us. It was the first time I had like hearing someone say my name "You don't have a choice, I'm going to shove this food down yah' damn throat."

He was serious, if there was ever anything I knew is he was done fucking around. He was going to make me eat this food rather it killed me or not.

"I can't eat without my hands,"

"That's more like it princess, now, are you going to be a good girl and eat?"

"Don't mock me asshole! If this food kills me, when I turn I'm coming for you first, that's a promise!"

"You think we'd waste good damn food on poison to kill yer ass with all these weapons around? We would of just knocked you off the fence while you were asleep up there and it would have been over with,"

"Some people don't have the guts to just do it,"

"I do," he stated getting up off me, I cursed myself when the weight from his body disappear and I suddenly missed it.

"Now open your mouth," he declared walking over with silverware in one hand and a bowl in the other.

"I can feed myself,"

"Don't trust yah,"

He spoke shoving whatever food it was towards my mouth.

"What is it?" I turned my face to avoid the spoon.

"You lost the privilege of asking," he snapped, "Now open your damn mouth,"

Whatever it was it was mushy, flavorless and instantly caused my mouth to water for more. It was the best thing I'd ever eaten, even if it was dirt;it was something.

"See you'll be better in no time," Daryl smirked shoveling another bite in my mouth.

"You're so gentle," I informed him while he forced me to eat another bite, still having food from the one before in my mouth.

"Eat faster, I've got shit to do today," he snapped, but still had a smirk on his face.

"Yes master,"

I still didn't trust him.

* * *

" Now we've got two in here! Two people that don't want to be here!" a lady spoke from the stairs.

"We need to get Maggie and Glenn," a young blonde spoke. "Don't worry about those two,"

"Dreads, she wants to be here, blonde she's a different story," Daryl informed the group.

"I can hear you!" I got off the bed that was hard as a brick and the most comfortable thing I could remember sleeping on to this date, and walked up to the door.

"If she says this Woodbury is what it is, we need to be extra careful, careful who we take and who we leave behind. We need strong bodies on both sides."

"I'll go!" They all spoke at once.

"No! Me, Daryl, dreads and Oscar will go!" Rick ordered the group, without question the group agreed, like lambs to the slaughter, before they all began filling out but the people that he named.

"You're leaving them weak," A large man, who I assumed was Oscar since I didn't' see any dreads spoke.

"No we ain't, we got Carol here and Blondie will fight if she needs to, ain't that right?!" Daryl said to the leader without looking my way.

"What makes you think that?" I scoffed more to myself than to him, have these people really not been listening to me? I wasn't going to stay. I didn't want to help.

"I think you will too," The ring leader added.

"Think all you wan..."

"That settles it than, she will help," they almost laughed, almost, as they walked out the door.

"Dumb ass redneck," I muttered to myself before laying back down on the bed; feeling myself slip into sleep again.

* * *

"What are you doing in there gorgeous?" a slow annoying voice echoed into my dark cell causing me to quickly jump up glad that Daryl hadn't tied me back up, without thought I grabbed the chair beside my bed and shoved the legs out the holes in the door.

"Hey now honey, I was just tryin' to talk to yah," he raised his hands and back up from the door not wanting to get jabbed with the legs.

"I'm not in the talking mood," I kept the legs through the door.

"Names Axel, what's yours?" Mr. creeper kept spying through the door.

"My name is none of your concern!" I thought of a back up plan to kill this guy if need be, I didn't like the way the moon reflected off his beady eyes.

"You can't be very old honey," he continued on, clearly not getting the hint.

"I'm old enough to kill you with this chair from in here without hesitating."

"HEY!" an older lady with a short haircut came up to the pervert. "You are going to leave these girls alone, stay away from them! This isn't about you trying to repopulate the world."

"I didn't mean any offense, I just ain't seen a woman in a long time; and well everyone is taken and you're a lesbian"

"I'm not a lesbian,"

"Yes she is! I'm her lover so leave me alone!" I took the chance to add to the conversation.

* * *

This kid was right, he spoke the truth.

"Right now Judith is the only family I have!"

In the distance a scream could be heard getting louder and louder.

"Is that Carol?" Carl asked standing up on the stair case his hand on his gun.

"She's outside guarding!"

"I'll go see what it is!" Carl started to move as the old man put his crutch up in front of Carl.

"I can't let you do that!"

"My dad would go!" Carl argued as he pushed passed the old man.

"Daddy!" The younger blonde girl snapped at her dad for letting Carl go.

"Oh fuck me, let me out I'll go with him!" I broke the chair I had used for defense a while ago, making a weapon out of the legs.

"Thank you,"

The old man said quickly undoing the door, It took me a few steps before gaining my balance once my head caught up with the rest of my body I took off in the direction the boy went.

Damn it Lennon, follow him right to the slaughter!

* * *

AN: Let me know what you thinky!


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey kid wait for me!" I hissed down the tunnel to the boy I was following.

"You didn't need to come with I would have been fine!"

"I'm not saying that you wouldn't have, I just don't like to miss out on any action!" I lied as I finally caught up to him. I got it, when all this started I just wanted to prove my worth to the group; every mission, every hunt I was apart of, I didn't miss a thing.

"You don't have to.." he began before more yelling filled the hall and we both took off towards it, somehow I maneuvered my way around the kid to take the lead.

Running down the hall a few occasional walkers filled the tunnels which we took out easily. He was pretty useful with his gun and I had killed these bastards with worse tools than a chair leg before.

Finally we came into an open room filled with humans, killing walkers.

"You need to leave!"

"Come on hurry!" Carl yelled to the group before at the same time and began leading out of the room; quickly I followed wanting to make sure he was safe, and not wanting to be behind these unknown people.

As we followed Carl down the hall killing walkers the crying continued. I quickly turned to see who was making all the noise attracting the biters. Pushing my back to the hall wall not trusting these people I saw a man towards the back, a man carrying a woman.

"She's bit!" I informed the group like they didn't' know, after all this time it was easy to tell what they looked like during the turning, their skin turned a nasty gray tone and they looked like they were burning from the inside out.

"You need to leave her!" Carl yelled taking out some more walkers.

"No way!" the man yelled lifting her even higher.

Carl seemed to take this and turned to continue on; I grabbed his small cold arm turning him towards me.

"She can't come,"

"I've got a plan, trust me,"

I don't know why I did, I should of shot her right there; we didn't know these people, this turning woman, and I didn't even know the original group.

"Comeon!" he yelled once again taking out one last walker, leading back towards the direction we had come in.

When we finally got back into the open part of the tunnels we could slow down as Carl locked the door behind the last person, I didn't trust these people to take my eyes off him.

The man carrying the woman dropped her on the ground as Carl approached them pointing his gun at her.

"Who the hell are you?" a woman asked the two of us, somehow I had ended up beside him again. I would like to think it was because I would have an easier time taking his small form out than my own, but my inner thoughts told me it was nothing of the sort. "Who are you two with?"

"We can help you!" Carl answered for the both of us, "First things first we got to take care of her," he rested the barrel of his silencer on the turning woman's forehead.

"No! We take care of our own!" A large man with a beanie on spoke softly to Carl, not in a threatening tone, those were the ones to watch out for, without thought I reached out and grabbed the back of Carl's arm.

'While they discussed who was going to take her out Carl led the two of us to the doors before the squealing of the door reached their ears, quickly he locked it,

"Open the door!" the lady from before raised her shovel towards us, causing a growl to raise from my chest.

"Put it down bitch!" I snapped.

"You'll be safe here, you have food and water; the door is locked and secure on both sides."

"Open this door," she moved closer to the door; hitting the door.

"You better back the fuck up!" I yelled grabbing Carl's gun out of his hand and pointing it at the woman.

"Sasha! Get away from this door!" Beanie man grabbed the woman's arm pulling her away from the gun. "This is best we've had in weeks, his house, his rules!"

"Shouldn't we help them?" the young blonde girl asked watching beside her dad.

"I did!" Carl informed her backing away from the door towards cell block C.

"He did a hell lot more than I would of, what is it with you and letting people in kid?" I questioned following the boy.

"What is it with you and names?"

"I don't know, I need a snickers, I'm not me when I'm hungry." I waited for a response but received none from the younger kids.

"What I wouldn't do for a Klondike bar," The older man on the crutches added.

"See it was funny," I didn't make any more conversation as I made my way to my cell.

* * *

"Here is some food," The older man sat the bowl onto the make shift table the chair with broken legs had turned into the next morning. "After you eat I'm going to check these new people out, I'd like if you would come with me,"

That wasn't something I was going to do, I knew better. That was putting my life in danger, something I tried so hard to hold onto.

"Why not," escaped my mouth before it had time to catch up with my brain.

Once we were inside the cafeteria we were holding them in the older lady began serving out food while the man looked them over and did any medical things he needed to. I kept a close eye on them, not missing a beat, a twitch, a dot of sweat on their face, with my back towards the wall with Carl on my right guarding the door, a large ring of keys in his hand.

"You were bit?" Beanie asked the old man looking down at where his leg should be. A story I didn't even know after days of ease dropping on these people. He only nodded his head in response.

A whine filled the room again as the blonde came in holding a baby I had only seen pass in the hall once while in my cell.

"How old is the baby?" Shovel girl asked as the blonde walked passed,following her.

"Hey don't touch the baby!" I yelled holding out my chair leg, I really needed to get a better weapon.

"It's okay! She's six weeks," the Dr said.

Shovel went over and inspected the baby before turning towards me, "How are you feeling?" She questioned looking me over.

"That baby isn't mine!" I informed her continuing to hold out my make shift weapon.

"Where's the mother?"

No one answered.

"Come on," I spoke to the Dr after the blonde and Carl had left the room.

"It seems like the living has become less like the living," Beanie spoke before we exited the room.

"Put it on a shirt,"

"Tyrese, like I said, we have a much larger group, Don't get comfortable here," he spoke reaching out to grab my arm.

After that Carl locked the door.

* * *

"It's quiet," The older lady spoke from her post at the gate opening outside, it was the first time I had been out there since I landed here. I already could feel the familiar burning of the sun on my skin, you'd think after these years of being outside I would of developed some kind of tan, but no such luck. Another down side of the zombie apocalypse.

"It's nice," I added leaning against a different post looking out towards the field of walkers.

"You're mom was proud of you," she informed Carl.

"For what being mean to her?"

"You can't beat yourself up about that,"

"That's all I think about," he added.

"She's right, in the long run of things, the bad things you say to loved one's isn't what sticks in your mind, its the other times, the 'I love yous' and 'I miss yous' that is the shit that matters," I needed to learn to keep my mouth shut.

The noise of gravel on tire filled the valley as we all turned towards the gate.

"It's them!" Carl said running down to open the gate for the SUV.

After the embracing of father and son the older woman inspected the car.

"Where is Daryl?" she asked, which drew my attention, that damn redneck was missing.

"He's gone but he's alive," the leader confirmed.

"He left?" She looked as though she would cry.

"We ran into his brother.."

"So he bailed then?" I snapped before walking away towards the prison. That bastard, that is what he forced fed me for, to take his place. He was using me! I felt a crack in my chest, something I wasn't used to. Why couldn't he be dead, so I could of learned to trust these people, they were going to use me as a strong arm. A million thoughts ran through my head. I knew better, I had always known better than to trust anybody, that part of me died when the walkers came back.

* * *

"Hey, I want to thank you, for going with Carl yesterday, I know it was something you said you wouldn't do, I want you to know, we owe you now. You kept my son alive." he was squatting against the wall with his hands in his hair not making eye contact. "My name is Rick,"

"I'm not staying,"

"We're not keeping you here, and I think by now you would of left," he finally looked up, " Let us hold some of it, shit I still don't know your name, some of the pain, some of the fear, all of it, we feel it too." he stopped to run his fingers through his hair again.

"You kept me because you saw something in me, a strength+ you had a weakness in, you all want something,"

"We brought you in because we all saw something different in you, Carl saw a hungry girl, running waist deep in grass, I saw a fighter, the way you whipped your sword around like it was you or them, Daryl saw himself, in a small blonde package, climbing a fence and then being to stubborn to come down." he stood, "Remember one thing, Daryl doesn't do, or say things he doesn't mean."

"Well he's gone now," I didn't know why he was telling me all this, like it mattered, like it would tug on my heart stings, change who I was.

"He'll be back, eat up," He nodded his head towards the cell and left, without locking the door.

* * *

AN: I don't own anything! Let me know what you think so far.


	4. Chapter 4

It has been a week, twenty one meals, twenty walkers and two freak outs by Rick since Daryl left the group.

"I don't think he's okay," I muttered more to myself than Hershel watching Rick walk back and forth.

"He's lost a lot,"

"I think it was a lot of his brain," I mumbled watching the group that had been locked in walk past carrying their stuff, "We need them, if that Governor is coming,"

"What does it matter? You said you weren't staying," Hershel smiled leaning against me, almost in a father like tap.

"I'm leaving," I added watching the old man hobble out the door. I should of done what I said I would, I should of never came down off that fence.

I picked up my sword that had appeared after the night Rick came in to talk to me. All of my other weapons were tucked neatly into places I could get to them quickly, and I also had a new addition, a gun with a good scope on it; which stayed up in the tower where I spent most of my days; keeping watch.

"I'm going to leave," I muttered taking off for my perch. "Crazy fucker's running around talking to someone that isn't there,"

I had been watching him for days, he was following someone, and sometimes rather I wanted to admit it or not, I swore I saw someone too, when the light was just right, when he would stare and watch so closely you knew he saw something, you believed it.

"He's been doing that all day," Maggie informed me as I reached the top of the tower. We both were looking over at the edge watching him stand on a wooden bridge, his head tilted like it was resting on some unseen weight.

"What is the last Samurai up too?" I questioned, knowing Maggie had been watching her too.

"She's got the huge sword of hers in that bus, she picks it up, but does nothing with it, I don't trust her, We shouldn't just go around letting everyone in." I just smirked at her, while watching the woman with the large sword watch Rick.

"I know, you assholes refuse to let me leave," I didn't look her way.

"You belong here, the day you went after Carl, there was no leaving after that," Maggie began scanning the grounds, I knew for her boyfriend.

"Don't get used to me, I'm leaving,"

"I don't believe that," She smiled beginning down the stairs.

* * *

"He had fish tanks full of heads, he's coming for us," Samurai informed the group.

"Anyone that calls himself The Governor has a serious ego trip, he'll need to assert his authority to anyone that crosses his path," I added, there were some sick people out there now.

"You know where his apartment is, we can end this tonight," Glenn walked over to where me and Samurai stood.

"We are not Assassins," Maggie added. My gut dropped at the words rolling out of her mouth, we might not be, but we were acting like it. But it was either them or us, no matter what, everyone agreed that he was coming.

"Are you forgetting these are the people that took you, took Daryl, almost executed you!" Hershel argued with Glenn, trying to get the rest of us to riot with him.

"We can't sit around and wait, we need to decided!" I stared into Hershel's dark eyes, "Are we taking the offense or the defense? Either way it will be a fight,"

"She's right!" Maggie agreed, "I trust her, even if we don't know her name,"

"She's been saying she was going to leave since day one! How do we know this isn't her ploy to run," The older lady commented pointing at me! I really didn't like her, she was a shit starter. It took everything in me not to cut her damn finger off with my sword; I was holding onto it so tight trying to stop myself that I was sure blisters would be formed.

"First of all put your damn finger down!" I snapped, "Secondly, I don't need a plan to leave, I will just leave!" I tried to release the sword but didn't have it in me, the anger in me was running a mile a minute, why did I care what this bitch thought of me? What any of them thought of me? They were just speed bumps on my way through; soon they would all be goners, all of us would, and that thought:the thought of these people dying chocked me up."I'll help you with this, you helped me when I was hungry and dying! But this is it, then we are even!" I turned to leave, not wanting them to see the emotion on my face; admitting defeat, admitting that I needed help when they found me was hard. You couldn't depend on people in this world and make it anymore.

"Fine then we stay!" Glenn just about screeched in anger, "We'll defend this place, Carl you and I will clear the tunnels! You!," he pointed to me when I turned around the hear his plan, tears burning at the front of my brain, "You go stand watch,"

* * *

"So? What did you find?" I questioned hearing Maggie's soft steps on the stairs.

"Tunnels are filling up, they are getting in somehow," her eyes were swollen, bright red around the rims. "What's going on there?" she nodded her head in the direction of the mustached pervert and the bitch.

"Putting metal up to hide behind from what I could gather," I stated to obvious.

"No I mean between them,"

"Well he's a prisoner, he hasn't got a piece in a while, I think he's desperate!" I half joked with Maggie as she cracked up laughing, both of us staring out at the older couple.

"Daryl won't like that,"

I didn't like the way my stomach felt when they said his name, I didn't even know him, other then the smart ass comments he'd make about me, checking in to see if I ate, or forcing me to do so.

"Are they together? Her and Daryl?" I swallowed even though I was so thirsty there was nothing to go down.

"You know, that's the first time I've heard you say one of our names," she ran her fingers through her hair pushing it back away from her face still looking out off the edge, "And it would be Daryl's,"she added

"So they are then?" I questioned upset I had to ask twice.

"Nah, Daryl isn't that kind of guy, he doesn't need a woman to survive, we all will slow him up in the end. He's the biggest, and looks the scariest, but he'll take a bullet for us,he doesn't want to look at one of us different than the other," she finally turned so I could see her face, "Kind of like someone else I know, you don't know us Melody, but you know war is coming, and here you are,"

"Melody?" I asked.

"I don't know you're name so I'm going to keep calling you name's until I get it right,"

"Well Melody isn't right,"

"You will stay Rachel, you will stay and Daryl will come back,"

"Hey.."

"Yeah?" she stared intently at me.

"Rachel isn't right either! Look crazy is back!" I motioned my head out to where her dad and Rick were talking on opposites side of the fence. She quickly stood beside me staring out as well.

"What happened? To Hershel's leg?" I didn't look her way.

"He got bit, Rick, he cut off his leg before the infection could spread," she paused, "Rick saved his life, he might be slipping but he is one of the best guys I know, he will get better," she didn't have a bit of question in her voice as we watched him walk away.

"OH shit run!" I yelled as a white truck pulled up from in the woods. We both took off for the side truck was on as shots began going both ways. Without a thought we started shooting towards the truck taking out anyone we could, watching as Maggie's friends and family ducked and ran, both of us continued shooting, I could hear her crying over all the shots and she made her way to the stairs guns in hand.

There was a moment when everything stopped, everyone stopped, and I found myself stopping to see if everyone was okay, like I cared about them, my heart ran a mile a minute.

"Oh shit" I yelled as a utility van pulled into the middle of our field right in front of Hershel and walkers started filling out. It was like the eye of the tornado, no one moved, no one blinked.

All at once, like it was choreographed we began shooting the walkers, but they just kept piling out of the van.

Once the Governor and his troops took off we all ran to the field, swords, knifes and guns swinging. That was when autopilot took over, swing hit, stab hit, just as long as you hit their brain it didn't matter how you did it, you just kept going, no matter what hurt, how tired or thirsty you were, no matter how much blood was in your hair, covering you face, in your eyes; you just kept going.

I passed Samurai a few times, her blade swinging in the air almost making noise like when someone ran their finger around the edge of a crystal glass, her own personal battle cry. I noticed out of the corner of my eye the truck come to pick Hershel up, but I didn't hear it, I couldn't hear anything but her; she was fighting for people she didn't know, maybe there was good people in the world; not like me, I was here because I owed them a debt.

Walker after walker fell in front of me, missing their head or most of it. It was a lot easier to kill them for someone else, to protect someone, than to just kill them. They were us once, they all had to die from something, either protecting themselves or someone they loved.

"Hey! Girl it's over!" Samurai yelled over to me, my hearing tunneling back in when her sword stopped singing to me. I didn't stop, I kept going, telling myself I was doing these Zombies a favor, I wouldn't' want to be stuck like this, walking for no reason, hungry beyond belief, doing whatever it took to survive, I would never be like that. Then it hit me.

"We are them," I said out loud when she got close, I was still swinging " We are them, just we haven't died yet," She quickly reached out and grabbed my arm to stop me; pulling me along with her out of the field and up to the prison; taking out walkers as we went.

* * *

Later that night staring out across the walker filled field I heard another set of foot steps on the ladder, it was to heavy to be Maggie's and to fast to be Rick's; and my heart began racing instantly knowing who it was, I knew he would come up here eventually.

"You didn't leave princess," his thick accent rang in my ears, waking up every part of me, it was like my body recognized him, his voice, as much as I didn't want it to be true, it was just because I hated the redneck so bad is what I told myself.

"I didn't have much of a choice did I cowboy?" I asked swinging my legs back over the tower so my whole body was inside, "You bailed,"

"I had to, he's my brother," he grabbed my arm before I hopped down to touch my feet to the floor. "You wouldn't understand,"

"I understand, I had four of them!" I half yelled at him, not sure why I was giving him this information. "All of them, ALL of them I watch turn, all of them I watched die, I understand," I heard their screaming in the back of my mind, when they died their crying.

"Yeah well he's still alive!" he argued back still holding onto my arm.

"He's already dead Daryl, people like him, they were never alive in the first place!" I ripped my arm out of his hold and started my way towards the ladder.

"What does that shit mean? He's alive in there breathin', eaten'!" he pointed towards the prison!

"I saw him out there Daryl, killing walkers, smiling! He is a monster! He loves this shit, you know why he loves messing with people, fuckin' with em? Killing em? It's because this is the first time he's ever felt something at all, he doesn't care about YOU! He cares about himself!" I wiped the tears running down my face away with the back of my hand, trying to calm myself down the the realization that maybe I was just like his brother, maybe I liked killing walkers because it is the first time in my life I got to turn on myself off and just do what needed to be done, to not think things over a hundred times. Maybe guys like me and his brother were made for this world.

"He saved me," Daryl added, staying where he was inside the tower.

"Yeah but did he do that for you or for himself?" I questioned before going down the ladder.

* * *

AN: I'm not sure if I'm going to make this kinda insta- love or a friendship sort of thing, I'm usually not into insta love, but hell come the end of the world I don't think I'd turn it away! Especially if he looked like Daryl Dixion! Let me know your opinion on it! And what you think of the story so far.


	5. Chapter 5

"Honey, if he knew there was someone ova' here lookin' like you, he'd be here even faster!" Daryl's creepy brother did a sort of humping movement towards the bar's of his cell; which was locked up tight.

"Do that again and you'll be the proud owner of a newly set vagina!" I snapped at him.

"Feisty, I like that, no wonda' you wanted to get back here brother," he looked up to where his brother was perched on the second floor railing. "Hot ass pussy like this runnin' around,"

"Shut the fuck up Merle!" Daryl turned off the railing and made his way towards the stairs to come to the lower floor.

"I didn't think tight asses like yours would survive a thing like this," he continued motioning in my direction, "a college bitch right?"

"Me and my tight ass are non of your concern!" I gripped my sword tighter and charged his door the point going through and settling on his neck, he didn't back up, but did put his hands up. "I'll do it,"

"They all say they will ,but then can't make themselves," He pulled back just enough to stick his tongue out and run it on the tip of my sword.

"HEY!" I felt warm calloused hands grab the back of my arm pulling my weapon out of the cell. "You two stop it, Merle shut your fucking mouth!"

"We are running out of food and supplies," Glenn's voice interrupted out little conversation, "and now we've got a snake in the nest," he mentioned his head in our direction, either towards Merle or me; with Glenn it could be either.

"We goin' to go over this again? Merle is staying he's one of us now!" Daryl defended his brother. "Get used to it, all ya'll!" making his way back up the stairs and back onto his railing.

"You guys figure it out, I'm going back to the tower," I didn't want to be around for the arguing, I didn't want to get involved in their family drama, I didn't belong in it, the more I knew the harder it would be when I left.

* * *

Nothing was out there for as far as the eyes could see, nothing but the undead; moaning and groaning around.

"Merle has a plan," Maggie was getting better at sneaking around, I almost didn't hear her till the top.

"I think we'd have better luck following the clouds," I didn't look in her direction.

"I don't think he'll do anything to put his brother in danger," Maggie mentioned with only a small percent of sincerity.

"He would," I said without a doubt, "He is about himself, not what he can do for others, look at the two of them, Daryl is always been and always will be scared of him, it's a little brother code, he doesn't trust him, but he wants to so bad,"

I felt her hot gaze against my cheek but she had nothing to add.

"So you see a lot not talking huh?" I just nodded my head. "Well I see a lot too Becky, I see that you will do anything to help us, dive in a cage of walkers for us, you could of said that was your debt, that was your fight, but here you are! Being harassed by Merle, I know you can't stand Carol, but I see you up here, scanning, double checking. Deep down you know it; you belong with us,"

"What makes you so sure?" I questioned feeling those annoying tears build in my eyes again. "I've done bad things, horrible things! Karma is going to catch up to me," I heard the screaming in my head, my brothers, people that got in my way, "and when it comes for me, it's going to get whoever is with me,"

"We've all done horrible things now, everyone in the world, the only innocent one is Judith, so if Karma is coming it's got all of us on it's list anyhow."

"I don't think you're right," I smiled through the tears, "but thank you!"

"I also notice the way you look at Daryl and say his name!" she winked at me.

"Shut up, I only look at him that way to figure out the best way to kill him,"

"Keep telling yourself that, he looks at you the same way," she turned towards the ladder.

"Hey Maggie?" she quickly turned back towards me, never hearing me say her name before.

"Yeah?" she questioned her eye glossing over with what could only be described has joy.

"Becky isn't right either,"

* * *

"It's smart to stay fit!" Merle harassed Dreads, "Why don't you do that too Blondie, get down there work- out break out in sweat, me and mini Merle would like that!"

"Why don't you go to hell!" I questioned him, shoveling more food into my mouth, I felt so much better now that I had been eating on a regular basis, I had probably put on ten pounds, my head was clear mostly, and I was back to staying up all and almost all night. It's amazing what some mush and some water could do for your body.

"I think we already here,"

"I think that's the first time you've ever said something truthful in your life,"

"WE GOT A VISITOR!" Carl's voice rang out through the cell as we all took off running outside.

"Andrea!" Maggie said loud enough for us all to hear standing around her, as the blond holding a walker made it up to the gate.

Each of us took our stance with our weapons, getting within clear shot of the girl as they let her in, dropping her to the ground to check for weapons.

"Welcome back!" Rick snapped at her before pulling her inside; we all followed but I noted only Merle and I kept our guns up.

She quickly hugged the bitch and began asking questions, stupid questions.

"And who are you?" she asked me, scanning me up and down.

"None of your business," I kept my gun pointed at her.

While listening to the group fight I learned that she was fucking the governor, whose name was Philip, and she didn't think fighting was the answer. I kept my mouth shut but was proud of the people around me for not falling for her bullshit, even though everyone of us could tell the blonde was serious.

* * *

"What they doing?" Daryl asked causing me to jump while watching the blonde and dreads walking around.

"Don't do that shit!" I snapped at him not taking my eyes off them."Just talking, arguing it looks like," he looked out the scope of his bow watching them in silence with me for a while.

"Who is she?" I questioned something I usually never did.

"She was with us in the beginning, she had a sister, we ….lost her, she was never right after that. She wanted to be G.I Jane but didn't have it in her, but in the end, when we needed her the most she did it, she saved Carol," he didn't look at me providing the information.

"And now she's sleeping with The Governor? Why did she leave?" I asked staring at the side of his face, his hair was dark, but his beard was a light brown with gray hairs growing in, he was significantly older than me, I knew that without asking.

"We left her, thought she was dead," he finally looked at me.

"You did what you had to do," I tried to justify it for him.

"That's what I tell myself, we've left a lot of people, and lost even more," he quickly looked out at the duo we were watching before back at me, glaze in his eyes. "How long have you been on your own out there?"

"I wasn't left behind if that is what your asking, I left. I was out there for a while, depending on what month it is," I tried to crack a smile across his face, sure it would be a good smile.

"You're a mystery Lennon," he whispered my name like usual.

"I'm really not, there just isn't much to say,"

"Those big green eyes do a lot of watching to not have any good secrets," he took a moment before beginning again, "Okay, one question then and you gotta swear to answer truthfully as payment," the left side of his mouth raised into a smirk, not the smile I was hoping for.

"Payment for what?" I asked putting my gun down and running my hands through my hair, something I did when I was nervous, a trait I thought I had lost along with myself.

"What is up with the name thing? You never use any of ours and I'm the only one who knows yours,"

My smile dropped and my hands left my hair. How would I explain this to someone, something I wasn't quite sure of myself.

"It's like naming a pet, they don't matter, you don't love them, until you've given them a name, used the name. It's easier to pass the bodies of friends, family, parts of your group when you never even knew them in the first place. Easier to kill them when they turn. It's easier to leave when no one is out there shouting your name for you to come back," I didn't look his way while informing him of how fucked up I was.

"Nothing about any of this is easy," he reached up to remove a leaf the flew by from my hair, my dirty filthy hair.

"When it first happened, I liked this world better, I thought it was better than where I was, it was a chance to stop growing up again, to drop all responsibility, but I didn't know shit, I had it soo good, so great."

"Well you can't leave now," he still hadn't removed his hands my hair as I turned to look at him.

"Why not?" I questioned, hoping he'd give me an answer I wanted to hear.

"The field is full of walkers," he quickly spit out removing his hands from my hair.

'I'm a good runner," I turned towards the ladder, my heart was floating in my stomach after hearing his response, like he was going to say something, like because I thought he was good looking and brave would matter in this world.

"How old are yah anyways?" He continued talking to my back.

"Either 19 or 20, I've lost track of time," I turned over the railing to get on the top step of the ladder.

"Just a baby," he said under his breath, like it was just to be heard by him, and I began descending the rust bucket of a ladder. When I was almost to the bottom I heard him yell out.

"HEY!" I quickly looked up to where his head was sticking out over the railing above the ladder.

"Yeah?" I replied continuing down.

"If you run, I'm yelling out your name, hoping it will stop you," he didn't say anything else and quickly moved back so I could no longer see him. I was glad because then he couldn't see the large smile crossing my face as my feet hit the ground below.

* * *

AN: I don't own anything walking dead, let me know what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

"You guy's ready?" Rick yelled through the prison bright and early.

"As I'll ever be!" I replied shoving the last of my breakfast into my mouth. Today we were going on a run, Rick, Carl, Dreads and I. Something I shouldn't be excited about, but I was ready to see if my ankle was going to hold up and to see my surroundings for when I left.

"You better come back yah hear?" Daryl's deep voice tickled the back of my neck, causing me to jump.

"Damn it stop that!" I reached out and slapped his chest, "I'll be back, I'm not ready to leave yet, you all still got food," I smiled before following Carl of of the building.

"You, ride in the back with Carl, Mahone, up front with me," Rick directed as we piled into the suv. "If anything happens, I want you two to get out of here, protect him with your life,"

"Dad, I'm fine," Carl snapped at his dad.

"I know you think you know this place Carl, but it's different now, it's not the town you grew up in anymore," Rick filled the silence in the car after a while of driving.

"Wait, we are going to your town?" I questioned.

"It's where we lived before the turn," Carl answered, "It's not our town, the prison is ours,"

Once we got to the town after a few minor setbacks, of walkers and some man screaming for help, all of our survival instincts took over, Rick kept himself firmly in front of Carl as he lead us towards a police station, Dreads was creeping like a animal ready to attack and I kept my back turned to them watching behind us.

"There it is!" Rick informed us as he took off towards the building.

"Let's hope somethings in here," I muttered following the group, sure it wasn't going to be this easy.

"DAMN IT!" Rick yelled as we walked into a room full of empty gun shelves, throwing a fit, I quickly look at Dreads hoping he wasn't having another freak out, she nodded her head at me, already thinking the same thing.

"There aren't anymore guns here?" Dreads asked.

"There was only a few cops here! I was one of them!" he replied while I began searching the room, toning them all out, trying to hear if anyone else was around.

"Hey," Carl whispered to me tilting his head in the direction of Dreads and Rick going at it, both trying to size the other up.

"You two quit it!" I growled coming between the two. "This isn't the place to do this! There has got to be other places here with guns, you're a cop, you know where they are," I tried to provide a solution to the tension in the room.

"Come on," he grabbed the bullet out of her hand and lead the way out of the building.

"I wasn't going to fight him," She mumbled to me.

"I didn't say you were going to, but he's on a slipping slope," I replied trudging after Rick.

"Looks like someone has already taken this town," Dreads spoke looking around the booby trapped town. Crossing over a spray painted warning on the ground.

"Good this we weren't coming for spray paint, it's all used up!" I added to the awkward conversation.

"They don't know this town like me, they won't know where to look," Rick continued on.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" A person in all protective gear yelled from atop a building. "You've got till ten to back out of here and leave,"

"We need that gun!" I told Rick while the person began counting.

"Protect Carl, I've got it!" Rick ordered.

"I'll go," Dreads said.

"Decide we are running out of time!" I yelled when the voice hit zero; the familiar sound of bullets bouncing off metal echoed through the town center. "Carl come on!" I yelled while we bullets flew past.

"NO I'm not a little kid anymore!" He yelled stopping behind a small barrel leaving me in the open.

"It doesn't matter if your a kind or not a bullet will kill you!" I yelled trying to persuade him to keep going; when blood splashed on his face and I let out a scream I didn't know I had in me.

"You okay?!" I asked reaching out to wipe the blood off his face, but white hot pain screeched through my whole body.

"You're shot!" Carl said in fear, his breath going heavy.

"Yup," I confirmed looking down at my stomach where blood was running out, "Would you look at that?" I tried to joke feeling muggy before everything went black.

* * *

"Am I dead?" I asked when my eyes opened to meets Ricks, Knowing by the pain running through me that I wasn't.

"Not even close," he began before stopping and quickly picking up his gun.

"YOU KNOW ME!" Rick yelled as a man attached him before throwing him on the ground.

I worked through the pain to get up while the males were fighting to get to a large gun against the wall. It felt like my guts were going to fall out of the hole in my stomach.

"LET GO OF HIM, NOW!" I yelled pointing my gun at the un-identified man.

He threw Rick down to the ground and climbed up to my gun, "Kill me PLEASE!" he smiled.

He didn't need to die to turn, he already was.

Rick walked up behind him and tied his hands together pulling him away from the gun.

After slipping in and out of consciousness I heard the men beginning to fight about something I didn't need to know, personal stuff.

I started crawling around packing up things I could lift into my back pack Glenn had sent me with, trying to stay quiet. All the while looking for a way out if the two men both lost their mind and turned on me.

"She was standing in front of him, and he had his gun up and he couldn't do it," tears ran down the man's face, "I yelled at him and he turned, and she was on him! My wife, she turned my son! And I saw red! All I see is red!"

Back in the real world my heart would of burned for this man, I would of wept with him, but now that everything was different, everyone felt that way. Singing this song got him no where with me, we still needed his supplies, so I kept packing.

"Put my shit down!" he yelled over to me, finally noticing what I was doing. I just ignored him, trying my hardest to lift my body off the ground. "You're going to die girl,"

"One day," I confirmed.

"Take the guns!" he told Rick, "You're either going to die in bullets or teeth, like her, she won't make it to the morning, then you'll have to shoot her, and you will Rick Grimes, because that is what kind of person you have become," Rick walked over to me lifting me off the ground and leaning my weight against him.

"Come on," he lead me out of the house, only to meet Dreads and Carl in the road carrying a crib.

"Load up all the ammo and guns you can pick up," Rick spoke to Dreads while leading we towards the car, shoving me in.

"Rick, I'll kill myself before I turn don't worry about Carl,"

"Go to sleep, you're not dying, not on my time," he shut my door behind him and I met the darkness behind my eyelids again.

* * *

Other's POV

Daryl and Maggie sat up on the tower waiting for the SUV of friends.

"She'll be okay, she's tough as hell," Maggie commented in the silence.

"What are you talking bout girl?" he reached into his pocket pulling out a cigarette.

"I see the way you and Cindy look at eachother,"

"Who the fuck is Cindy?" The archer questioned lighting up.

"She is, for now, until I figure out her real name!" Maggie smiled at the gruff man, turning towards the road as the small SUV pulled up.

"Her name ain't Cindy," Daryl made his way towards the ladder to meet the group.

"WAIT!" Maggie yelled, "You know her name?"

Before he could answer the farm girl Rick's voice spread to their ears.

"WHERE IS HERSHEL? SHE'S BEEN SHOT!"


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey! there she is!" heat instantly met cheeks hearing his voice when I opened my eyes.

"Here I am," I tried to fight the smile forming, before lifting myself to get out of bed.

"Hey! Take it easy," Daryl ordered trying to push me back down.

"I'm fine!" I pushed my weight against his to stay upright.

"You've been shot!" he argued.

"And? I'm alive! If I was out there, I'd have to keep going so that is what I'm doing!" I continued trying to fight him.

"You're not out there," he shot back.

"Didn't your daddy ever teach you if you don't use it you lose it?" I attempted to joke with him.

"My dad didn't teach me shit," this bit of information caused him to give up the fight and let me put my feet on the floor.

"If I stop I'm going to get weak," I tried to run my hands to put my hair up but the burning in my stomach caused me to give up quickly.

"'mere," he motioned me to turn around grabbing the hair tie out of my grasp.

"If you put my hair up, I'd dying for humiliation for you, right after I tell everyone,"

"You'll die, but it won't be of humiliation," he commented attempting to put my hair in a pony tail, "How do you girls do this shit?" he mumbled when the hair tie broke against his large hand and flung to hit the wall.

Instantly the cell filled with laughter from both of us, something I had never heard out of him before; straightaway tiny bubbles formed in my body.

"So you can shoot a walker in dead in the eye but you can't put hair in a pony tail?" I asked through fits of laughter.

"Looks like it,"

"Pathetic," I laughed at him "I've got to get up, I've got to get my strength up for when I leave," I felt my face fall at the comment along with his.

"Still planning on leavin'?" his blue eyes quickly met the wall when I turned his way again.

"Yeah, you guys are a cute little family, I'm meant to be alone,"

"I think you belong here," he stood up reaching out to me, "Here stand up so I know you won't fall,"

I ignored his comment on belonging and grabbed his arm putting weight on my legs.

"See fine!" I smiled at him ignoring the horrible feeling under the bandage on my abdomen.

"I don't want you to push it to much today, they'll tell on you when I get back if you do, especially Maggie, the sun rises and falls by your ass according to her,"

"We just understand each other mostly," I didn't miss the speed of my blood when he mentioned our friendship I tried so hard to deny, "Where you going?"

"Andrea's ass set up a meeting between Rick and that fucked up Governor,"

"You're going?"

"Backup," he grunted after his response.

"I'm coming with!" I bent over as quick as I could to put my flower print boots on.

"Hell nah," he turned for the door, "You ain't going you were shot yesterday!"

"That was yesterday Daryl, I've slept it off!" I followed behind him.

"I said NO!" He turned snapping.

"I said yes!" I reached out pushing his chest with both hands.

"What don't you understand you stubborn girl, you were fuckin' shot yesterday! You could of died!" he pulled my arms away from his chest but didn't let go.

"That tells me I have amazing luck, and I better avoid bullets from now on! I'm going!"

"She can go, there is no serious damage, she'll just be sore for a while," Hershel came up behind us, ending the staring competition we had going on.

"See, I'm fine!" I pushed him out of my way and made my way out into the sunlight.

"You going? You sure you're okay?" Rick had given up asking my name.

"She ain't going," Rick watch Daryl shove past me towards his motorcycle.

"I think she should go," Rick followed the archer. "I trust her with my son's life and she proved herself,"

"That's the problem with you!" Daryl yelled to Rick adjusting his bow on his back, "You're not treatin' her like a person you're treatin' her like a bullet proof vest for us!" Bumping up against him in a threatening way.

"If she wants to go she's going," He shoved back against him only to receive an angry growl back.

"Hey! She can speak for herself, I am going, and I know exactly what I AM here, Rick get in the truck, Daryl get on the damn bike!" I pointed each of them in their respective directions; once I knew they were going to listen I began following Daryl.

"Where you goin'?" He inquired noticing I was following him.

"With you,"

Either he didn't have it in him to argue anymore or he really didn't give a shit as I climbed on the bike behind him.

"You been on one before?" he moved his bow in front of him so I wouldn't get stabbed in the eye on the way.

"Nope," I answered with no fear.

"Hold on Blondie,"

* * *

We pulled up beside an abandoned barn before Daryl turned the bike off an quickly let go.

"Stay here with Hershel," Daryl ordered me taking a gun out of his holster and handed it to me. "We are going around the perimeter"

"Be careful," I whispered taking the gun out of his hand.

After he and Rick took off I went over to the truck Hershel was sitting in and got in the passenger seat.

"If you two are going to keep this up, you won't be able to go on missions together," Hershel broke the silence but continued looking out the window.

"What?" I questioned to scared to break contact with my reflection in the side mirror.

"You and Daryl, if you two stay together, neither of you will be focused fully on the task at hand."

"There is nothing going on between us," I informed the man, but felt faintly like I was lying, if anything it was just harmless flirting, I acknowledged that he was good looking, but that was as far as it went.

"I might be old, but I am not blind," he stopped mid sentence before beginning again, "What I'm trying to say is, the way the world is now, you better admit you're feelings because none of us know if we are going to see the sun rise tomorrow or even the stars tonight, but don't like it effect your job,"

"I never let anything effect what I have to do,"

"You are a good liar little girl, you do, or you used to, that is why no one knows your name, you don't want to make a connection with anybody."

"So I've accepted it and changed what I do wrong, now it's easier to leave or deal with a death when you didn't know their name in the first place,"

"Did the world make you this way?"

"I do what I have to do to survive," I kept surveying outside seeing nothing.

"What is there to survive for if you are not living in the process?" he asked and I was glad he didn't wait for a response before putting the car into gear and driving to the other side of the barn where Daryl was waiting.

"He's already in there!" Daryl informed Hershel as he rolled his window down.

"I don't see any cars," Hershel confirmed, all I could do is stare them down, thinking about what Hershel had just said to me.

"Something ain't right!" Daryl commented before the sounds of a car pulling up grabbed his attention. "Heads up!" Daryl slapped the front of the truck as a rusty old SUV pulled up. The vehicle barley was in park before three doors opened.

"Why is he already in there?" Daryl asked the blonde that had visited the prison the other day.

"He's already here?" she questioned the people with her, neither of them had a response.

"One hell of a lay she is, she don't even have a clue about him," I muttered to Hershel watching the blonde storm into the barn. "You watch the nerd," I nodded at a small man with round Harry Potter glasses on, "I'll watch the blonde," I hopped out of the car without waiting on a response.

After a few words between the men standing nose to nose Hershel called them off each other as the blonde came out and their man walked up to shut the barn behind her.

"Well now we wait," I said more to myself than anyone around me as I slid down the barn to sit on the ground, the blonde copying me.

"What happened? With Maggie? She asked after the others went on their own ways.

"I'm not sure, but I know it wasn't good," I commented leaning my head back and closing my eyes.

"My name is Andrea," she continued on.

"That's nice," I tried to readjust myself, grunting as I hit my injury.

"What happened?" She asked looking over at me, it almost like she had true concern in her eyes.

"I got shot," She just continued staring at me, waiting for more information, "It's not a big deal," I shut it down.

"I hope this fixes everything," she mentioned, it sounded like a five year old making a wish.

"It won't, they will give the word and shit will go down,"

She didn't need to reply, she knew it was the truth.

We sat in silence the rest of the time.

Once the barn doors opened Rick and the man came out of the barn, he quickly looked over at the blonde and I and winked his good eye at me and smiled before Daryl's voice broke into my head.

"comeon,"

"That's my ride," I said loud enough for the Governor to hear as well as the blonde getting up off the ground and following Daryl, hopping on the bike and holding on tight as he lead down the road towards the prison.

* * *

"He wants the prison, he wants us gone, dead," Rick spoke the group of us once we all were inside. "For what we did to Woodbury, we're going to war," he finished. Everyone huddle close to the people they cared about, sullen faces, questioning faces, but no one left, no one cried. Would these people really die for one another? Fight for one another? I had my answer at that moment.

"My name is Lennon!" I yelled out to everybody, not knowing what compelled me to do it, but everyone froze at my words, "Lennon , I think if we are going to fight together you should at least know my name," no one said anything but I received pats on the back from Rick and Hershel.

"Are you serious?" Maggie spoke out loud losing the emotion from a moment ago, "Damn it that was my next guess!" she quickly walked up and wrapped her arms around me, something twenty four hours ago would of caused me to fling her off me and run for the door. Something I hadn't experienced in two years. But seeing these people today, accept their fate and stand and take it, rocked my world, never before the turn or after had I seen a bunch of people like this, people I wanted to be with.

"Be careful, I was just shot yesterday you know!" I pushed her back before she jotted her hand out.

"Hello Lennon , I'm Maggie your best friend,"

"Don't push it!" I interrupted causing everyone to laugh; everyone but Daryl.


	8. Chapter 8

"Something is going on," I said as I heard Maggie come up behind me on the guard tower.

"Yeah, it is,"

She looked down to where Daryl, Rick and Hershel stood talking to each other, whispering, checking behind themselves, but none of them had the sense to look up here.

"What do you think it is?" I questioned the brunette, not taking my eyes off their mouth hoping to catch some key words.

"I don't like it, them keeping secrets, especially not when Glenn isn't involved so I can't find out later,"

"You got it like that huh?" I questioned bumping my hip up against her.

"You could too,"

"What are you two hens clucking about?" A southern accent I didn't like to hear came up behind us;Neither of us said anything and began towards the ladder. "Wait Blondie I want to talk to you," he turned towards the railing leaning against it.

"Want me to wait for you?" Maggie asked when I stopped walking and turned towards Merle.

"Nah, if he acts up I'll push him off the tower," I assured her walking towards him.

"Shoot him on the way down," Maggie snapped swinging her leg over onto the ladder, "If you don't come down in five I'm coming looking for you,"

I nodded my head in acknowledgment. We waited until Maggie was on the ground before talking.

"What do you want Merle?" I walked up to him quickly to show him I wasn't afraid of him.

"What are you doing to my brother?" He didn't waste any time thinking about his question.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned the redneck, "I'm not doing anything to or with him, and if I was, it isn't any of your business,"

"Well that's twice you've been wrong today darlin'" he laughed in the twisted way only Merle could, "I see him watchin' you, you watchin' him too, now either you two need to hunch and get it ova' with or yah need to let it go, and it is my business, he's been my business since the day he was born,"

"Get this through your thick ass head Merle, there is NOTHING, and if there was, I am grown and none of your damn concern and I think he would have the same thing to say about it, don't think because I'm small and blonde I won't push your ass off this guard tower, I could, and would and wouldn't lose any sleep over it!" I felt angry tears welting in my eyes but had to hold them in, he would definitely take them as a sign of weakness.

"I know you would, I see it in your eyes girl, you're a killa', that's why I don't want you messin' with him, getting him killed, girls like you, they shine pretty in the sunlight, but are always dull when you get them home," he pushed up against me before shoving past me, "Leave him alone, or I will kill yah," he didn't wait for a come back before climbing down the ladder.

"Asshole," I muttered waiting for him to hit the bottom before climbing down after him.  
"What was that about?" Daryl came up behind me the moment my feet hit the gravel.

"Nothing," I shoved pasted him as well. "You're brother is just a fucking asshole,"

I felt his hand grab the back of my arm stopping me from walking away, "Did he hurt you?" I still didn't turn back around.

"Do you think I'd let that happen?" I snapped yanking my arm out of his grasp and making my way in the opposite direction Merle went in.

* * *

"We've got to clear some walkers so we can barricade it," Merle's voice echoed down the hall hours after our argument.

"God does he ever go away?" I muttered watching him and Michonne pass by an abandoned cell I was sitting in; without thought I jumped up and began quietly following them, I didn't trust either of them, especially not together.

We slowly crept down into the tombs passing walkers stuck in cells, and killing random walkers as they went but they never looked behind them to see me following.

Once a small pack of walkers got in front of them Merle fell behind waiting on Michonne to pass him, before I knew what was happening he pulled back and punched her out.

"HEY!" I yelled while he continued taking out walkers, "What the hell are you doing?"

"You need to mind your own business bitch" he pulled a gun out of his pants, holding it towards me, "We're going on a little field trip, you just got yourself invited, come on, you can walk in front, be teachers pet, maybe if you're lucky I'll let you sit on my lap," he held the gun to me while kicking Michonne awake, "Follow the leader," he told her when she was up, "We goin' to see the governor,"

* * *

"Where the hell are we going Merle?" I finally broke the silence we had been in for an hour, it was getting to be to much walking down the street with these two and Merle's gun in my spine.

"Rick made a deal, Michonne for peace, and I just don't like you," Merle answered as we continued down the street. "But Rick wouldn't of done it, he would of chickened out, so I'm playing the bad guy once again,"

"Well aren't you just a night in shining armor," I snapped, still it would be a stupid move to take off, a bullet in the spine didn't sound like a good plan at the moment.

"I'm getting it done, he wouldn't have, like when he came back for me on the roof top,"

"He's going to come for us anyways, no one is going to change that,"

"Well you won't have to worry about that, he'll keep your pretty little head in a pretty little fish tank."

He looked to Michonne, "I want to be with my brother, and my brother wants to be in the prison, trying to get a piece of that ass," he tilted his head in my direction, "So I'm solving two problems with one stone,"

While they began arguing I started looking for a way out of this, tying to find a route to run once we knocked Merle out.

"Neither of you two move!" he began tying me to Michonne, I'm going to start this piece of shit car," as he crawled under the car and the alarm started going off we began looking each other over keeping one eye on the walkers coming out of the woods.

"Oh shit," I muttered as they got closer."Merle damn it!" I yelled as we started kicking our way out of it, our hands tied together.

"Wrap around this post ready?" she asked as we danced around the walker to cut his throat with the wire.

"Both of you get in the damn car lets go!" Merle yelled.

"We are not going with him!" I yelled.

"We have no other choice come on," she began dragging me towards the passengers seat with her.

"I am so sick of you two!" I screamed after riding in the car with these two trying to one each other up.

"All of us, we can just go back," Michonne tried to plead with Merle.

"I can't go back don't you get it!" he stopped the car and looked over at the seat we were sharing; before reaching over and untying us.

"You two go back," he looked out the window "I've got something I've got to do on my own,"

Now here is when I look back at my life, which is probably ending soon, and say what the heck was I thinking.

"I'm not letting you go alone, Merle whatever it is, we can fix it,"

Michonne had already gotten out of the car.

"Get out of the car!"

"No Merle we are all going back together!" I turned towards him grabbing Michonne's sword and handing it to her.

"You've got one more chance, get out of the car," I reached over and slammed the door staying put.

God I'm an idiot.

* * *

Other's POV

"Has anyone seen Merle and Michonne? They are both gone," Rick came rushing out into the yard.

"I can't find Lennon either," Carl added.

"Come on," Daryl motioned to Rick leading him into the supply room. "He was last in here, said he was looking for drugs,"

"Well he isn't in here now, and I can't find him anywhere," Rick confirmed with the archer.

"He's got them," Daryl took off out of the supply room without waiting for a reply, "I'll go track them, when I get back you and your family need to be ready."

* * *

Daryl's POV

After tracking the trio through the woods I came across Michonne killing a walker alone in a field.

"Hey! Where are they? Did you kill them?" I questioned the woman who I still didn't trust, my heart was racing a mile a minute thinking about what she could of done to my brother or Lennon, we still didn't even know her.

"He let us go, and she wouldn't get out of the car, she wouldn't let him go alone," the woman replied with a sad look to her face, "he tried to make her leave,"

My heart dropped to my stomach, and I didn't know if it was more for Merle or Lennon, it should be an easy answer but with times like they were nothing was easy.

"Don't let anyone come after me," I ordered before continuing on the path even faster nervous of what could be ahead of me.

* * *

Lennon's POV

"Merle what are we doing?" he had stopped and turned the music up in the car, letting walkers accumulate around the car.

"You had your chance to get out,"

"What is this a suicide mission Merle, it doesn't have to be this way," I looked over at the one handed monster who had just let his prisoner leave, who had just tried to make me leave.

"Take good care of him,"

"Merle what are you talking about? If you die the likely hood of me getting away is slim,"

"You'll make it, your a fighter," and he began driving down the road, turning the music up even louder so there were no more changes to talk. I kept my hand on the door handle, ready to jump at any minute but there were to many walkers, and I didn't have any kind of weapon on me.

"MERLE!" I kept trying to get his attention but he just kept on driving.

"We are taking our friends to the governor," he finally spoke pulling up to the abandoned barn we had the meeting at.

"Run!" he said opening his door and jumping out to which I followed, running for cover as fast as I could followed but gun shots.

I hid behind a large barrel until the bullets died down, something was happening, I knew I needed to find Merle and quick, I didn't see him from where I was so I began following the edge of the barn hoping to stay covered.

"I aint begging you!" I heard Merle's voice, but when I reached the window to peer in it was to late, the sound of the gun in the Governor's hand shook my whole body, it rattled my brain and my bones, Merle was shot, I was to late, I had to throw my hands over my mouth to keep from screaming out. The governor walked out of the door holding all of Merle's weapons, leaving his body inside.

"Let's go, they aren't coming," he informed his group and piled into the vehicles taking off, after I watched the last one leave I ran into the barn over to Merle.

"Get up Merle they are gone!" I yelled at his form on the ground. "Merle," my bottom lip quivered when the tears began to fall, blood was trickling out of a hole in his chest, right over his heart. "Merle come on, get the hell up!" I tried to kick him awake half heartedly knowing it was a lost cause. "You were a prince in the end Merle, you let us go," I whispered to his body, feeling the heat radiating off it, he was going through the turn and fast. I took off to the top layer of the barn, planning to stay here for a while until the walkers cleared out.

Some turns take days, some mere hours, Merle only took half an hour, his groaning could be heard from where I was hidden, the whole time all I could think was please don't find me, how would I explain to everyone, Daryl, myself that I killed Merle a second time, with a makeshift weapon, after I let the governor kill him. Luckily for me Zombie Merle walked out of the barn following a scent, unlucky for the guy that was left bleeding in the field from Woodbury.

I couldn't stop him, I didn't want to, not until Daryl came out of the woods towards the barn not yet noticing his brother on the ground, feeding on the body. I should of looked away, I should of ran down to him, but I couldn't stop watching, remembering watching my brothers as walkers, turning towards you, no realization in their eyes, just grayed over eyes, no thoughts, no feelings, your own flesh and blood. It was something everyone took differently, but how you ended it was on you, you either let them go, or finished it yourself.

Daryl looked at Merle, backing away slowly, begging for it to not be true, pleading, the most vulnerable I'd ever seen him, his sobs would be something I'd never forget as Merle approached him.

Daryl only had to push him twice before stabbing him in the head four times, screeching more than the dying form under neath him.

After he hit the ground crying I took off running to his side, not caring about the walkers around.

"Daryl," I said coming up to kneel beside him, large tears were running down his face, the moment I saw them mine began rolling, "He was a good guy in the end, he did what he had to, he let her go!" I tried to comfort him reaching out to touch his back but he pulled away.

"Why didn't you leave with her,"

"I couldn't leave him, I don't know why, I just couldn't!" I knew I should of left with her but I didn't. "He fought the governor for all of us, he tried his hardest, I couldn't help him, I didn't have a weapon, he told me to run and I did,"

"Why didn't you leave him?" he questioned looking up at me.

"Because I wanted to believe somewhere deep down he was a good guy, and he proved himself, he was a great guy,"

Daryl just looked at me while I spoke, not saying a word, before he jumped forward causing me to jump back, thinking he was attacking me like I probably deserved; but when his dry lips touched mine I pushed all my weight into his not pulling back at all, to quickly he ended it. So quick I didn't even have emotions for what just happened, my only response was heavy breathing like we had just ran a marathon, I felt better hearing that his matched mine.

"We've got to get back the governor is coming," he looked at Merle one last time before leading into the forest.

* * *

AN: I don't own anything Walking Dead! Let me know what you think! Is anyone enjoying this? What do you think about Merle being the prince in the end?


	9. Chapter 9

"Why did you do that?" I snapped following the archer down the path in the woods.

"Do what?" he didn't look back where I trailed behind him.

"What do you think? Did you do it because of him? Or did you do it because you meant it?" Now that I could look back on what had just happened anger was rising in my veins, he wasn't going to use me as some place to put his pain.

"You need to come on, it will be dark soon," he still didn't turn to look at me.

"Daryl!" I said louder trying to let him know I was serious but not wanting to attract walkers I was still without a weapon.

"What is it with girls like you?" that only pissed me off.

"What kind of girl am I Daryl? Don't talk about me like you know me," he quickly turned around.

"I do know you!" he snapped "I've known girls like you my whole life,"

"You still haven't said what kind of girl that is!"

"The kind of girl that is to good looking for her own good, thinks she's a tough ass so she runs around playing G.I Jane until shit gets real, and you'll be the first one that bails!" he paused to push his hair out of his face, "You think you're better than everyone else but your not! You're a preppy ass bitch who has never experienced the world!" he turned back around and began walking.

"Hey! You're fucking wrong about me," I ran up to pass him turning around to face him, "I am tough as hell because I have to be! Shit is real around here! And what have you experienced in the world you damn redneck! I bet you've never even been out of Georgia!" I snapped at him poking my finger into his chest with each new point, "You don't know shit Daryl!" after I finished I turned and began slating through the woods, I could hear his foot steps behind me.

"Hey! Woman!" he snapped following me, "Lennon!"

"I'm not talking to you anymore, you don't need to deal with girls like me!" I continued on.

"Jesus Lennon, listen to me!" I quickly turned and he was so close I just about bounced off of him, "I did it because I wanted too," he acted like he was going to reach up and touch my face but moved his hand back quickly.

"Then why did you just say all that shit then?"

He huffed in frustration before opening his mouth again.

"Because we can't be doing this, we're at war, people die when feelings get mixed around,"

"People die when they get shot,"

"And if we continue this I'll be doing everything I can to make sure you don't get shot, my head won't be in the game,"

"I'm not trying to talk you into anything Daryl, you're not telling me anything I don't know, but you can't blame yourself for people dying, unless you personally killed them for no good reason."

"We never asked you the questions," he stated, we were still standing close together, our height difference had never been that noticeable to me before, but my neck was fully extended to see up into his eyes.

"What questions?"

"How many walkers have you killed?" he said so softly it almost sounded like a whisper.

"So many I don't remember anymore,"

"How many people have you killed?" we both stayed where we were, my previous answer not effecting him.

"Six,"

"Why?" he still didn't look away.

"I had no other choice, they were trying to kill me,"

"I can't stand the thought of someone trying to kill you," his calloused hands finally touched my cheek, "When this war is all over, when this shit is through..." he began before removing his hand and walking away towards the prison.

"What is going to happen then?" I asked following him.

"If you live you'll find out," a smirk crossed his face and he picked up pace. "You were right about me!" I followed behind him through the tall grass.

"About what?" I questioned.

"I've never been out of Georgia!"

"You were right about me too,"

"I don't believe that," he replied.

"Yes, you were," I took a breath trying to act dramatic, "I am to good looking for my own good, you should see me clean," I laughed pushing past him and began running towards the prison in the distance.

* * *

AN: Okay a sweet/ confusing moment between D and L! Let me know what you think! P.S I own nothing walking dead!


End file.
